Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

Category

5754

YEARS

5751
5752
5753
5754
5755
5756
5757
5758
5759
5760
5761
5762
5763
5764
5765
5766
5767
5768
5769
5770
5771
5772
5773
5774
5775
5776
5777
5778

“You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.” (25:19)

What is the meaning of the “remembrance of Amalek”? Is it not sufficient simply to destroy Amalek?  Horav S.R.  Hirsch z.l. explains that it is not Amalek who is so threatening to the future of humanity. Rather, “zecher Amalek,” the remembrance of Amalek, the glorifying of Amalek’s memory, is the prime danger. As long as in the annals of history the murderers and plunderers are venerated as heroes, as long as these heinous criminals are not buried into oblivion, their names will gradually be “cleansed.” With each successive generation individuals will arise who seek to glorify these “great warriors.” These…

Continue Reading

“Remember what Amalek did to you.” (25:17)

How does one fulfill the imperative to remember Amalek’s treachery towards our ancestors? The mitzvah to blot out Amalek’s name is hardly applicable in contemporary times, while Am Yisrael is in galus, exile —  even if we were able to identify clearly a member of this contemptible nation. Horav Moshe Feinstein z.l. infers a profound lesson to be derived from this pasuk. Amalek’s dastardly act demonstrated that man can be aware of Hashem’s infinite greatness and unlimited power and still descend to the nadir of depravity. Indeed, Chazal compare Amalek to one who jumps into a tub of scalding water,…

Continue Reading

“An Amoni or Moavi may not enter Hashem’s marriage group even after the tenth generation… (This is) because they did not greet you with bread and wife water.” (23:4,5)

The spiritual fate of Amon and Moav was sealed not because of immorality, murder, or other vicious crimes, but because of their lack of chesed, kindness. An Egyptian who converts, even an Amalkite, is accepted into Hashem’s congregation after the third generation. This is not the case with an Amoni or Moavi.  This exclusion is due to their apparent disdain of the middah, character trait of chesed.  Klal Yisrael’s most vicious enemies, perpetrators of the most heinous acts of murder, can one day “make it.” In contrast, the one who rejects chesed can not. This is perplexing! What greater lack…

Continue Reading

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son that will not listen (to) the voice of his father or the voice of his mother.” (21:18)

Chazal make a powerful statement in regard to the ben sorer u’moreh. This boy, who has just reached the age of maturity demonstrates unusual insubordination. He is defiant towards all authority. He simply does whatever he wants, regardless of his parent’s pain regarding his life of spiritual degeneration. His parents together are obligated to bring him to Bais Din for punishment. They must assert their role as prosecutors by clearly stating “this is our son,” “he does not listen to the voice of his father or to the voice of his mother.” Horav Moshe Swift z.l. suggests that this act…

Continue Reading

“When you go forth in battle against your enemies…. and you see amongst the captives a woman of goodly form… If a man has two wives… If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son .” (21:10,11,15,18)

There are a number of difficulties which confront us when we attempt to interpret the sequences and rationale of these pesukim. Rashi explains the juxtaposition of pesukim in the following manner: The Jewish soldier is permitted to marry the ye’fas to’ar, beautiful captive. This is a concession to human nature as opposed to the yetzer hora, evil inclination. In His infinite wisdom, Hashem saw that man, weak from the tension of war, would succumb to his base desires and marry this woman even illicitly. Consequently, He permitted marriage to her. Such a relationship, however, can not and will not bode…

Continue Reading

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our weekly Peninim on the Torah list!

You have Successfully Subscribed!